Baseball glove



Feb. 11, 1941. A. J. TURNER 2,231,204

BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Jan. 7, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L57 4 j f2@ @@7460 jgg lz, ,J/ w47 Feb. 11, 1941. A. J. TURNER BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Jan. 7, 1939 s sheetsfsheet 3 Patented Feb. 1l, 1941 ,Pari-:1yr ori-ICE BASEBALL GLOVE Archibald .i. meer, chicago, nl., assignor to wilson Sporting Goods Co., a corporation of Delaware Application January 7, 1939, Serial N0.249,696

8Claims.

' My invention relates to baseball gloves and has for its object the-provision of a nger construction in which the fingers in the normal position assumed by the glove (that is. in the position which the glove assumes in the absence of any outside distorting force such, for example, as the bending of the wearers ngers) are either definitely curved toward ball grasping position or predisposed toward such curvature, and yet i0 present an attractive and sightly appearance to the fingers. l r 4 This object together with corollary objects, features and advantages are set forth in the following description of specific embodiments of my invention' andl illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: v s Fig. 1 is a palm view of a iieldersglove embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section'taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 along a finger bifurcation and through the palm;

Fig. 3 is a sagittal section through one of the ngers taken on the sagittal (that'is, front-tobackl to borrow a term .from the anatomists' lexicon) plane 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a Atransverse section of anger taken onthe lin-4 -4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the back of a pair of lingers; Fig. 6 is alayout of the pieces constituting the two halves of a linger back and the medial seam welt therefor:

Figs. '17, 8 and 9 illustrate the steps in sewing the finger back halves together: Y

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the back of an assembled finger back;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing a modied form of 4finger back pieces; and

Fig. 12 is a sagittal section ofa finger similar to Fig. 3, but showing'the finger curvature resulting from the use of finger back pieces cut in accordance with Fig. 11. Referring rst to the form of Figs. 1 to 10,

s inclusive, the glove palm is preferably formed from a single palm piecelS -cut t0 provide integral finger fronts I8,`ti"le thumb I'l being set in. The palm piece I5 preferably carries an integral extension throughout its height which is 50 little finger to constitute the far half of the lit- 'tie finger back. (Similarly, the opposite cr thumb edge of the palm piece I5 is' carried around the nearedge of the hand to constitute the near half al' of theindex ng'er back. Botlrof-these edge turned around the outside edge of thailand and extensions continue down to the base'of the back of the glove.

'Ihe usual padding is incorporated between the palm piece I5 and the palm'liner, I8; 'I'he palm 5 hner I8 preferably carries integral nger fronts I9 whereby the linger stalls are lined.

The :finger backs for the ring nger and the middle finger and also for the far half of the index nger are cut short along a corded edge 20, which .preferably comes just above the knuck- 10 les of the -hand as it isi ordinarily positioned within the glove.

A back strap ,2| coming across the back ofthe hand Just above the Wrist is relied upon to hold the hand ln the glove. l5

Figs. 3. 4 and 6to 10 illustrate a typical linger back construction-the .middle finger, for example. I

Referring to Fig. 6, the nger back is formed by an ear side piece 22 and a far side piece 23 20 which is a reverse thereof. The near'edges of the pieces 22 and 23 are sewn together, with a welt 24-preferab1y of contrasting color-intervening to reinforce and ornament the seam by accentuating the longitudinal lines of the fin- 25 gers. As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, `the piece 23 vis rst laid on the sewing. machine table, then the welt 24 is laid along its margin and then the other nger back piece 22 is turned over (from rthe position of Fig. 6) and superposed upon the 30 piece 23 in register therewith, and then a marginal line of stitching 25 is run along the superposed edges of the pieces 22 and 23 and through the welt 24. When the assembled pieces 22'and 23 are then opened up, they assume the convex 35 vposition ofv Fig. 1G. 'I'his convex position is due to the curving of the medial margins 26 of the '-inger stall itself; the lower portion of the medial margins which are to `come below the nger crotches are straight. This gives convexity, in the pre-assembly of Fig. 10, only to that portion v of the finger back abovethe crotch and leaves thet portion of the finger back below the crotch a 'I'he lateral margins 21' of the pre-assembled linger back of Fig. 10 are then sewn by welted seams 28 to the margins of the nger fronts I6 50 of the palm piece I5. 'I'he lateral marginslo! the finger back/pieces thus sewn by the Aseams 28 extend from the nger tip points 29 (Fig. 6) to the crotch points 30. 'I'he curves of the marginal edges 21 of the linger back -pieces adjacent 66 the nger tip points 29 serve to round 0E the ends of the fingers and to preserve sumcient height at the ends of the finger stalls so that the ends of the fingers will not be pinched.

The lateral margins 21a. of the finger back pieces 22 and 23 are then sewn to each other by welted seams 3l from the crotch points 3@ down to the bases of the finger backs, where they are dressed by the previously mentioned corded seam 20.

Further attention is invited to the conformation given theiinger by virtue of the shape of the nger back pieces 22 and 23. The long curve by whichA the medial margin 26 from a point about opposite the crotch point 3G is swung to the laterally displaced finger tip point 2S, throws greater length into the medial seam 25 in its reach from the base of the finger to the tip of the finger. .That is, the curvilinear medial edge 26 is of greater length than the shortest distance i between the linger tip point 29 and the base'of the finger back piece as viewed in Fig. 6. At the same time, the outside edge 2 is in upwardly converging relation to the long curve of the margin 26. The result is that thel finger back is given a longitudinal curve in sagittal section (Fig.

3) which predisposes the finger stall toward a ball grasping position of the glove fingers, and yet the finger stall is of approximately uniform cross section throughout its length, except that it is not so deep toward the finger tip end. In the form of Figs. 1 to 10, the finger front IB in the finished glove is normally approximately fiat. Thus,i the glove finger is longitudinally curved at its back, but flat at its front.

The normal position for a players hand is one where the fingers and palm are not coplanar, but where the fingers have considerable longitudinal curvature. As the player slips his hand into the glove, the fingers can retain this normal curvature because the finger stalls are not straight and coplanar with the palm. The backs of the finger stalls are given a curvature approximating the normal curvature of the fingers. This is of great advantage, comfort and convenience over baseball gloves in which the stalls are rather straight and tend to force the fingers into an unnatural straightness.

Also, even though the nger fronts are relatively iiat and straight; the curvature of the -backs of the fingers, together with the general curvature of the stall and the normal curvature of the various fingers all combine to predispose the glove fingers, including the finger fronts, into the more curvedl position assumed in grasping and retaining the ball when caught. Because the finger backs are already curved, it is only necessary to curve the finger fronts in order that the entire finger have a definite ball retaining curvature.

An important feature of my glove finger con struction is that this longitudinal curveis built into the finger back without irnpairing the attractive appearance of the glove lingers. For example. no transverse seam is run across the nger backs to break the streamlined appearance of the nger back and to present a cumbersome trans- `verse ridge.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have illustrated .a modification whereby the finger front itself is normally longitudinally curved. Here the finger back halves 22' and 23' are cut on a modified pattern. The modification involves a concaving of the outer margin 21 from the crotch point 30' to the tip end curve 35. This concaving of the margin 2l' would decrease the cross sectional area of the finger stall. To preserve the same .cross sectional area, a corresponding convexity is preferably added to the medial margin 26. In laying out the pattern for the pieces 22' and 23', the added convexity can be accurately calculated by superposing the pattern for the piece 22' upon the pattern for the piece 22 of Fig. 6 (the latter being indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 1l for comparison) and transversely adding to the medial margin what is subtracted from the outer lateral'margin by the concaving of the curve 21'. When the outer margins of the finger backs are sewn to the same finger front I6 by the seams 25', the concaved margins 27' conform the finger back I6 to a longitudinal curvature, which will be apparent from a .comparison of Fig. 12 with Fig. 3. At the same time the finger back is given still greater longitudinal curvature. As .a result it is still easier for the player to curve his ngers and the glove fingers into ball retaining position.

, The finger back halves of Figs. 6 and 11 have base or sub-crotch extension portions. The medial margin of these sub-crotch extensions are parallel with the medial plane of the glove finger. The outer margin of the extensions are also parallel therewith, below the out-curve to the crotch points. In Fig. 6 the outer margin 21 is substantially parallel with the medial plane of the finger from the crotch point up to the in-curve to the nger tip point. In Fig. 11 the corresponding reach of the outer margin is concaved without changing the location of the crotch point or the in-curve at the upper end to the finger tip point. In Fig. 6 the reach of the medial margin 26 between the sub-crotch extension and the finger tip point 29 is a curvilinear curve which throws greater length into the medial seam 25. 'I'he greater convexity added to the corresponding reach of the medial margin in Fig. 11 results in still greater length being thrown into the medial seam 25', but this does not modify the sub-crotc'lfrextension nor the location of the finger tip point,

them to assume when he is about to catchv a ball. When the ball has impacted the palm and the fingers are closed upon it, the curvature of the finger stalls predisposes the glove fingers to a facile flexing to increase the curvature to ball -.retaining position so that, in all, a minimum of finger effort is required of the player.

For the same reason it is particularly easy for the player to slide his hand into the glove. It is easy for him quickly to slide his hand out of the glove when he wishes to without the necessity of flexing his fingers.

While I have described these specific embodiments of my invention, I' contemplate that many changes may be madevthereov'er Without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1. A baseball giove having a palm and a 1in- Ager, the finger being formed by a finger front front and substantially',I at the front of the finger, the finger back comprising right and left halves 'medially seamed longitudinally of the finger to,

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its tip, the medial margins of the halves in pattern being convexly curved from the tip to a point well back toward the crotch line to throw greater length into the medial seam and cause the finger back in assembly to assume a forward longitudinal curve.

2. A baseball glove, according to claim 1, in which the lateral margins of the finger front are substantially parallel throughout the reach extending from slightly below the tip to the crotch, and wherein the lateral edges of the nger back halves, where they are sewn to said reach of the front, are, in assembly, substantially straight and the ,finger front, in assembly, is normally substantially uncurved longitudinally.

3. A baseball' glove according to claim 1 in which .the lateral margins of the linger front are substantially parallel lthroughout the reach extending from slightly below the tip to the crotch, and wherein the lateral edges of the iinger back halves, where they are. sewn to said reach of the front, in pattern are concaved to cause the linger front in assembly to curve longitudinally inwardly whereby the linger stallboth front and back-is curved partially toward ball retaining position.

4. A baseball glove comprising a palm piece extending into vnger fronts. nger backs con`- sisting of right and lett halves joined to each other by medial seams and to .the nger fronts by marginal seams which extend from the linger tips .to the crotch points, the nger back halves having longitudinal parallel margined extensions extending at reduced width from below the crotch points approximately to the knuckles. the proximate lateral margins of the extensionsbeing seamed to each other to form an upper back for the hand, and medial margins of the linger back halves in pattern extending curvilinearly upwardly and outwardly from the medial edges of the extensions starting about laterally opposite the crotch points and extending up to .the tip points whereby greater leng-th is thrown into the medial finger back seam to give the linger back a forward longitudinal curve.

v5. A baseball glove having lingers comprising linger fronts separated from .their tips to their crotch points and having substantially parallel lateral margins, linger backs consisting of right and left halves seamed together along their proximate margins in the media-l sagittal front-toback planes of .the fingers, and along their outer margins seamed to .the lateral margins of the finger fronts, the finger back halves being cut with .their medial margins curving from about opposite the crotch point up to the tip point to throw additional length into the medial seams of the linger backs to give the finger backs a forward longitudinal curvature, the linger back halves also being cut with their outer margins concaved between the crotch points and points just below the tip points whereby the nger fronts are given a forward longitudinal curvature.

6. A baseball glove according to claim 5 in which the medial margin of each linger back hal-f is cut with an o g" curve which -rst swings inwardly away from its outer margin and then outwardly toward the linger tip to compensate for the concave curve of the outer margin to avoid restricting'the cross section ofthe nger stall.

7. A baseball glove finger formed by a linger front and a nger back seamed together at their lateral and tip margins, the linger back'consistlng of right and left halves seamed along the medial sagittal (front-to-back) plane of the lnger from base to tip, the component parts of the finger being so proilled in pattern andfso seamed together that, in the nished finger, (a) the iinger back normally curves forwardly andoutwardly longitudinally of the nger throughout the major portion of that region of thevnger which lies between the linger tip and a point laterally opposite its nger crutches, and (b) the longitudinal center .line of .the nger pocket within the glove nger is given a forward and outward curve, the linger back halves themselves being free of transverse tailoring seams in their regions lying tipwardly of the base.

8. A baseball glove nger formed by a linger front and a nger back seamed together at their lateral and tip margins, the linger back consisting of right and left halves seamed along the medial sagittal (front-to-back) pl-ane of the nger from base to tip, the component parts of the finger being soproled in pattern and so seamed together that, in the finished finger, (a) the ilnger back normally curves forwardly and outwardly longitudinally of the nger .throughout the major portion of that region of the nger which lies between the finger tip and a, point laterally opposite its nger crotches, (b) the finger front normally curves forwardly and outwardly longitudinally of the linger throughout the major portion of a corresponding region but with less curvature than the nger back, and (e) the longitudinal center line of the linger pocket within the glove nger is given a forward and outward curve, the nger back halves themselves being free of transverse tailoring seams in their regions lying tipwardly of the base.

ARCHIBALD J. TURNER. 

